


Winter Story

by Drago



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Angst, Cheating, Christmas, Infidelity, M/M, Mickey is a little bit in love, Sad Mickey, sugar baby Ian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-19
Updated: 2015-12-19
Packaged: 2018-05-07 17:29:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5464925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drago/pseuds/Drago
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Christmas time, but not everyone gets to celebrate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Winter Story

Christmas is only special when you make it special, and it can safely be said that in the Milkovich house of horror a tradition has never really existed. At least when all of them lived with Terry. It changed when they collectively decided to move out, leaving their father behind. It was the best decision of their lives so far. They could finally breathe again, no longer cowering from Terry, living in fear of angering him, hiding. Terry brought a lot of darkness into their lives, but it was something they weren’t keen on discussing, even between themselves. He’s hurt all of them, some of them less, some more, and they wanted to simply forget, not dwell on the past. They dream about it more than enough.  
The first Christmas after they moved out Mandy insisted on having a huge tree, a festive dinner and as many presents they could afford. The following celebrations were still quite lavish, so Mickey got used to doing Christmas. He wouldn’t say that he loved it, but it was comforting to have all people he cares about in one place, eating food that they would never get as children.   
So Christmas is just a concept, but it’s a concept Mickey learned to accept, maybe even enjoy in his own, grumpy way, and he’d rather participate in it than ignore. 

Just from the way the visitor is knocking Mickey can tell who is by the door, he’s heard the pattern many times before. He is right. When, after a short debate with himself, he finally decides to open he is greeted by a sight of a tipsy redhead smiling at him in what is supposed to be a seductive way. It probably would make any other gay guy, or a girl, swoon, but Mickey’s seen it so many times that he no longer lets it affect him. If anything, it makes his chest tighten with emotion that definitely isn’t lust. Ian Gallagher is, without any doubts, a very sexy, attractive guy. Many people would think that Mickey should feel honored that someone like Ian pays any attention to someone like him, but the way things are, he mostly feels exhausted. So exhausted, that he wants to go to sleep again, even though he just woke up.  
“You going to let me in?” Gallagher asks with a cocky smile.  
“It’s 9am, why are you drunk?” it’s Mickey’s thing, he is the one who, sometimes, often, drinks during the day.  
“A bit tipsy, wanted to see you.”  
Mickey has to close his eyes at that and take a deep, calming breath. Ian always comes to him after drinking alcohol. Always, always after the alcohol.  
“Go home Ian.”  
“Come on, Mick,” the younger man tries to enter the flat, but it doesn’t take much to stop him, he isn’t aggressive.  
“Don’t to this to me on Christmas, man.” There is something akin to shame in Ian’s eyes, and yet he makes one last attempt before muttering ‘oh right, we’re done. Your loss, have a Merry fuckin’ Christmas’ and walking away. If the redhead came any other day Mickey would probably break his resolve and cave in, but as it is, he sees no point in continuing whatever they used to do in the past. It always ends the same way. They fuck, hard and good, just the way Mickey likes, and when they are done Ian tells him it won’t happen again, that there can’t be any future for them. Mickey thinks like that too. It’s logic, pure and simple. But it doesn’t make him feel any better.  
First and foremost, Gallagher is Mandy’s friend. She was the one who introduced them, she met Ian at the coffee shop. They aren’t… They aren’t anything, they definitely don’t hang out like friends do. They just fuck. Used to fuck. It started when both of them were drunk, Mandy already passed out, never able to tell how much she could handle. Mickey refused to believe that Ian is Southside, so the younger man decided to show him some of the moves he’s learned while in Southside. And he did, but their wrestling soon turned into fucking on a rough carpet, Mickey bent in half, too drunk to do anything but moan and let Ian pound him. The redhead didn’t say much after the first time, he just passed out.  
Ian is the kind of guy that Mickey usually hates. Tall as fuck, full of himself, posh and seemingly pretentious. He’s also got a lot of money which was why Mickey couldn’t believe he is Southside. No one has real money there.  
Despite everything, he felt drawn to the redhead, just like any other dumb, gay fuck dreaming about boning the hot ginger. He might have even thought that they could become a couple. What a joke. Ian Gallagher already has a boyfriend. Some old, rich prick, but at least it explains the money. The younger man keeps saying that he’s never cheated on his sugar daddy before, so it had to be something in Mickey that made him change. Mickey is sure it’s his young ass, he can only imagine how saggy and loose must be the sugar daddy’s ass. And yet, despite everything he’s said, Ian kept coming back. He wasn’t the one to end it either.  
At first Mickey thought that he could easily deal with it by not getting overly attached, but the other man is a bright flame warming you up whether you want it or not. Burning you. It’s impossible to be indifferent towards him. So of course Mickey started feeling more than he allowed himself to, started to experience things he never even imagined before. His heart would beat faster when he saw the younger man, and he could fool Ian into thinking that it was a physical attraction only, but he couldn’t fool himself. His own mind and heart betrayed him. Suddenly irregular hook ups were no longer enough, he wanted Ian to stay in his bed until morning, evening, night.   
When the weariness started to seep into Mickey's bones he decided to let go of whatever delusions he had. It meant letting go of Ian, and he was strangely okay with that. Or maybe it was numbness speaking. One way or another, the redhead still tried to have sex with him and managed a few times, but for some reason Mickey’s whole being rebelled against doing it on Christmas. It seemed cruel to both Mickey and the other guy who had no idea that Ian has been cheating on him.

***

“How was your Christmas, guys?” Ian was supposed to meet with Mandy only, but she came with Iggy, and he can‘t say he minds his presence. Iggy is a cool, funny guy, one of the best Milkovich siblings out there. In fact, Iggy is his third favourite.  
As far as Ian knows there are only three decent people in the whole family.  
“So much food,” Mandy groans, patting her flat stomach. “Mark’s family is cool, though. I thought they would hate me, but they were nice. Mark says they really liked me, so yeah. Good. And the food, oh my God.”  
“Ana also cooked, she is amazing,” Iggy says dreamily, clearly lovestruck. Ian can hardly reconcile it with the thug persona he is used to seeing. He doesn’t remember ever being this besotted, and he likes to think that he loves Sam a lot.  
“You weren’t home with Mickey?” Mandy asks, clearly surprised, breaking Ian away from his reverie.  
“Uh, no? I told you I will be with Ana?”  
“Right, so wait. Jamie and Tony are both in prison, fucking idiots, so who has spent Christmas with Mick? It sure as fuck hasn’t been Terry”  
Iggy looks more alert now, thinking hard about the possible options. He shares a look with Mandy, and both of their faces fall at the same time.  
“What?” Ian asks, not quite there.  
“I think… Mickey has been alone for Christmas,” Mandy admits shakily. And Ian feels a wave of shame wash through him. It’s quite possible that he’s been the only person who saw Mick before the celebrations started in every other place, and he was an asshole who didn’t even wish the other man Merry Christmas. Not that it’s been merry, seeing as Mickey spent it all alone and, knowing him, he’s been drinking.  
“Why didn’t he tell us?”  
“Right. Because Mick talks to us about anything,” Mandy snorts. “Remember when Terry broke his ribs, and he hasn’t told us until Tony tried to pick him up? A week after Terry hit him?” The siblings snort at that in tandem, but Ian finds it sad. He knows that Mickey isn’t exactly open with his feelings, but he didn’t know it was so deep. His Christmas has been great. He spent it with his family and Sam, and even Lip behaved himself, even though for some reason he can’t stand Sam.  
He regrets not calling Mickey. He wanted to, but their relationship shouldn’t even exist, and Mickey made it clear that he doesn’t want it anymore. Ian doesn’t blame him, but he wanted to call. God, did he want to call. 


End file.
